European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
European Commission
Plenary round-up – Strasbourg, July II 2019
The main highlight of the July II plenary session was the election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission. Other highlights included a statement by Viorica Dăncilă, Prime Minister of Romania, on the outcome of that country’s Council presidency, and by Antti Rinne, Prime Minister of Finland on the priorities for the current Finnish Council Presidency. Continue reading
Role and election of the President of the European Commission
The President of the European Commission has taken on an ever more prominent leading role within the College of Commissioners, with the increasingly presidential system eclipsing the principle of collegiate decision-making. Continue reading
Parliamentary scrutiny of the European Commission: Implementation of Treaty provisions
This updated implementation assessment examines the status quo of the European Parliament’s powers of scrutiny over the European Commission. Continue reading
Outcome of the special European Council meeting of 30 June-2 July 2019
After a lengthy meeting, lasting from 30 June to 2 July with interruptions, the European Council agreed on a package of candidates for the EU high-level positions. The German Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen, was proposed as candidate for European Commission President, now subject to election by the European Parliament. Continue reading
Assessing the Leaders’ Agenda
The Leaders’ Agenda, adopted by the EU Heads of State or Government on 20 October 2017, was designed both as a contribution to the realisation of the objectives set out in the ‘future of Europe’ debate and as a concrete work programme for the European Council up to June 2019. Continue reading
The Juncker Commission’s ten priorities: An end-of-term assessment
As the European Parliament reaches the end of its 2014-2019 mandate and the European Commission approaches the end of its term, it is timely to look back at the commitments made by the Juncker Commission when it took office in 2014 and assess to what extent it has delivered. Continue reading
A week celebrating science at the European Parliament
A packed Science Week at the European Parliament from 5 to 7 February 2019, organised by the European Parliament’s 2019 Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) Continue reading
Ten issues to watch in 2019
This annual publication offers up-to-date insight from policy analysts in the European Parliamentary Research Service on ten key issues and policy areas that are likely to feature prominently on the political agenda of the European Union (EU) in 2019. Continue reading
Election of the President of the European Commission: Understanding the Spitzenkandidaten process [Policy Podcast]
What became known as the ‘Spitzenkandidaten process’ is a procedure whereby European political parties, ahead of European elections, appoint lead candidates for the role of Commission President, with the presidency of the Commission then going to the candidate of the political party capable of marshalling sufficient parliamentary support. Continue reading
Ensuring more transparent and predictable working conditions [EU Legislation in Progress]
An employer’s obligation to inform their employees on the conditions applicable to their contracts is regulated by Directive 91/533/EEC. Major shifts in the labour market due to demographic trends and digitalisation, spawning a growing number of non-standard employment relationships (such as part-time, temporary and on-demand work), have made it necessary to revise the directive. Continue reading
The Juncker Commission’s ten priorities: State of play in autumn 2018
This publication provides an up-to-date overview and analysis of the state of play in the delivery by the European Commission of the various legislative and other political initiatives flowing from the ten priorities defined by its President, Jean-Claude Juncker, when the Commission took office in 2014. Continue reading
From Rome to Sibiu
Analysis shows that in the year since the Rome Declaration, and a year before the special summit on the Future of Europe debate, due to take place in the Romanian city of Sibiu on 9 May 2019, substantive progress has been made regarding the debate itself and implementation of the policy priorities identified in the Bratislava Declaration/Roadmap and the Rome Declaration. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – Strasbourg, March 2018
Highlights of the session included: a debate on the future of Europe with Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa; preparation of the European Council meeting on 22 and 23 March; debates on the appointment of the European Commission Secretary-General; on the US decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium; on corporate social responsibility; on conflict minerals; and protection of investigative journalists following the deaths of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova in Slovakia. High Representative Federica Mogherini made statements on Syria, EU-Cuba Joint Council, and EU-Central Asia relations, followed by debates. Parliament adopted, inter alia, its reports on the post-2020 future multi-annual financial framework and own-resource reform; common (consolidated) corporate tax; and regulation of cross-border parcel delivery; training of professional drivers; and Europass. Continue reading
The Juncker Commission’s ten priorities: State of play in early 2018
The Juncker Commission has now been in office for more than three years. With only one full calendar year to go until the end of its mandate, many consider that 2018 will be judged as ‘the year of delivery’. Continue reading
European Tourism Day
Addressing ‘the future of EU tourism’, the European Commission organised the 2017 edition of the European Tourism Day on 28 November in Brussels. Continue reading
The 2017 State of the Union debate in the European Parliament
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s State of the Union address to the European Parliament, and the subsequent debate, on 13 September come in the context of the ongoing broader reflection on the future path of the European Union. Continue reading
Next steps in the debate on the future of Europe
A clearer view of the European Commission’s vision of the future of Europe should be one outcome of the 2017 State of the Union speech by President Jean-Claude Juncker. Continue reading
The European Commission at mid-term: State of play of President Juncker’s ten priorities
Written by Etienne Bassot and Wolfgang Hiller, At a time when, more than ever, citizens expect the European Union institutions to address their concerns and deliver on promises and commitments made, this analysis provides an overview of the work carried out by the European Commission at the mid-term of its current mandate, notably in the … Continue reading
The European social pillar and reform of economic and monetary union: setting European priorities
Written by Nora Milotay, On 1 March 2017, the European Commission launched its white paper on the future of Europe. The Commission also plans to publish five reflection papers before the end of June on major EU issues, such as the social dimension, globalisation, economic and monetary union, defence and finance. In this context, EPRS … Continue reading
European space policy; Historical perspective, specific aspects and key challenges
Written by Vincent Reillon, In the 1950s, development of the space sector in Europe was limited to investments made by individual Member States (France, Italy, the United Kingdom). The failure of the first European partnerships in space activities in the 1960s led to the establishment of the European Space Agency (ESA), an intergovernmental institution, in … Continue reading
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